Revised Literal Translation

Isaiah 8

1Moreover Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto me, Takeקַח־kach-H3947thee a greatגָּד֑וֹלga.DolH1419rollגִּלָּי֣וֹןgi.la.YonH1549,and writeוּכְתֹ֤בu.khe.ToH3789in it with a man’sאֱנ֔וֹשׁ'e.No.oshH582penבְּחֶ֣רֶטbe.Che.retH2747concerning Maher–shalal–hash–bazH4122.

2And I tookH5749unto me faithfulנֶאֱמָנִ֑יםne.'e.ma.NimH539witnessesעֵדִ֖ים'e.DimH5707to recordH5749,Uriahאוּרִיָּ֣ה'u.ri.YahH223the priestהַכֹּהֵ֔ןha.ko.HenH3548,and Zechariahזְכַרְיָ֖הוּze.khar.Ya.huH2148the sonבֶּ֥ןbenH1121of Jeberechiahיְבֶרֶכְיָֽהוּ׃ye.ve.rekh.Ya.huH3000.

3And I wentוָאֶקְרַב֙va.'ek.RavH7126unto the prophetessהַנְּבִיאָ֔הha.ne.vi.'AhH5031;and she conceivedוַתַּ֖הַרva.Ta.harH2029,and bareוַתֵּ֣לֶדva.Te.ledH3205a sonבֵּ֑ןBenH1121.Then saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068to me, Callקְרָ֣אke.Ra'H7121his nameשְׁמ֔וֹshe.MoH8034Maher–shalal–hash–bazH4122.

4For before the childהַנַּ֔עַרha.Na.'arH5288shall have knowledgeיֵדַ֣עye.Da'H3045to cryקְרֹ֖אke.Ro'H7121,My fatherאָבִ֣י'a.ViH1,and my motherוְאִמִּ֑יve.'i.MiH517,the richesחֵ֣ילcheilH2428of Damascusדַּמֶּ֗שֶׂקda.Me.sekH1834and the spoilשְׁלַ֣לshe.LalH7998of Samariaשֹׁמְר֔וֹןsho.me.RonH8111shall be taken awayיִשָּׂ֣א׀yi.Sa'H5375beforeלִפְנֵ֖יlif.NeiH6440the kingמֶ֥לֶךְMe.lekhH4428of Assyriaאַשּֽׁוּר׃ ס'a.ShurH804.

5Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068spakeדַּבֵּ֥רda.BerH1696also unto me againוַיֹּ֣סֶףvai.Yo.sefH3254,sayingלֵאמֹֽר׃le.MorH559,

6Forasmuchיַ֗עַןYa.'anH3282as this peopleהָעָ֣םha.'AmH5971refusethמָאַס֙ma.'AsH3988the watersמֵ֣יmeiH4325of Shiloahהַשִּׁלֹ֔חַha.shi.Lo.achH7975that goהַהֹלְכִ֖יםha.ho.le.KhimH1980softlyלְאַ֑טle.'AtH328,and rejoiceוּמְשׂ֥וֹשׂu.me.SosH4885in Rezinרְצִ֖יןre.TzinH7526and Remaliah’sרְמַלְיָֽהוּ׃re.mal.Ya.huH7425sonוּבֶן־u.ven-H1121;

7Now therefore, behold, the Lordאֲדֹנָי֩'a.do.NaiH136bringeth upמַעֲלֶ֨הma.'a.LehH5927upon them the watersמֵ֣יmeiH4325of the riverהַנָּהָ֗רha.na.HarH5104,strongהָעֲצוּמִים֙ha.'a.tzu.MimH6099and manyוְהָ֣רַבִּ֔יםve.Ha.ra.BimH7227, eventhe kingמֶ֥לֶךְMe.lekhH4428of Assyriaאַשּׁ֖וּר'a.ShurH804,and all his gloryכְּבוֹד֑וֹke.vo.DoH3519:and he shall come upוְעָלָה֙ve.'a.LahH5927over all his channelsאֲפִיקָ֔יו'a.fi.KavH650,and go overוְהָלַ֖ךְve.ha.LakhH1980all his banksגְּדוֹתָֽיו׃ge.do.TavH1415:

8And he shall passוְחָלַ֤ףve.cha.LafH2498through Judahבִּֽיהוּדָה֙bi.hu.DahH3063;he shall overflowשָׁטַ֣ףsha.TafH7857and go overוְעָבַ֔רve.'a.VarH5674,he shall reachיַגִּ֑יעַya.Gi.a'H5060evento the neckצַוָּ֖ארtza.VarH6677;and the stretching outמֻטּ֣וֹתmu.TotH4298of his wingsכְּנָפָ֔יוke.na.FavH3671shall fillמְלֹ֥אme.Lo'H4393the breadthרֹֽחַב־ro.chav-H7341of thy landאַרְצְךָ֖'ar.tze.KhaH776,O ImmanuelH410 H6005.

9Associateרֹ֤עוּRo.'uH7489yourselves, O ye peopleעַמִּים֙'a.MimH5971,and ye shall be broken in piecesוָחֹ֔תּוּva.Cho.tuH2865;and give earוְהַֽאֲזִ֔ינוּve.ha.'a.Zi.nuH238,allכֹּ֖לkolH3605ye of farמֶרְחַקֵּי־mer.cha.kei-H4801countriesאָ֑רֶץ'A.retzH776:girdהִתְאַזְּר֣וּhit.'a.ze.RuH247yourselves, and ye shall be broken in piecesוָחֹ֔תּוּva.Cho.tuH2865;girdהִֽתְאַזְּר֖וּhit.'a.ze.RuH247yourselves, and ye shall be broken in piecesוָחֹֽתּוּ׃va.Cho.tuH2865.

10TakeH5779counselעֵצָ֖ה'e.TzahH6098togetherH5779,and it shall come to noughtוְתֻפָ֑רve.tu.FarH6565;speakדַּבְּר֤וּda.be.RuH1696the wordדָבָר֙da.VarH1697,and it shall not standיָק֔וּםya.KumH6965:for Godאֵֽל׃ ס'ElH410is with us.

11for Yhwhיְהוָ֛הYah.wehH3068spakeאָמַ֧ר'a.MarH559thus to me with a strongכְּחֶזְקַ֣תke.chez.KatH2393handהַיָּ֑דhai.YadH3027,and instructedוְיִסְּרֵ֕נִיve.yi.se.Re.niH3256me that I should not walkH3212in the wayבְּדֶ֥רֶךְbe.De.rekhH1870of this peopleהָֽעָם־ha.'om-H5971,sayingלֵאמֹֽר׃le.MorH559,

12Sayתֹאמְר֣וּןtom.RunH559ye not, A confederacyקֶ֔שֶׁרKe.sherH7195, to all them towhom this peopleהָעָ֥םha.'AmH5971shall sayיֹאמַ֛רyo.MarH559,A confederacyקָ֑שֶׁרKa.sherH7195;neither fearתִֽירְא֖וּti.re.'UH3372ye their fearמוֹרָא֥וֹmo.ra.'OH4172,nor be afraidתַעֲרִֽיצוּ׃ta.'a.Ri.tzuH6206.

13Sanctifyתַקְדִּ֑ישׁוּtak.Di.shuH6942Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֖וֹתtze.va.'otH6635himself; and let him beyour fearמוֹרַאֲכֶ֖םmo.ra.'a.KhemH4172, and let him beyour dreadמַֽעֲרִֽצְכֶֽם׃Ma.'a.Ritz.KhemH6206.

14And he shall be for a sanctuaryלְמִקְדָּ֑שׁle.mik.DashH4720;but for a stoneוּלְאֶ֣בֶןu.le.'E.venH68of stumblingנֶ֠גֶףNe.gefH5063and for a rockוּלְצ֨וּרu.le.TzurH6697of offenceמִכְשׁ֜וֹלmikh.SholH4383to bothלִשְׁנֵ֨יlish.NeiH8147the housesבָתֵּ֤יva.TeiH1004of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElH3478,for a ginלְפַ֣חle.FachH6341and for a snareוּלְמוֹקֵ֔שׁu.le.mo.KeshH4170to the inhabitantsלְיוֹשֵׁ֖בle.yo.ShevH3427of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ye.ru.sha.LimH3389.

15And manyרַבִּ֑יםra.BimH7227among them shall stumbleוְכָ֥שְׁלוּve.Kha.she.luH3782,and fallוְנָפְל֣וּve.na.fe.LuH5307,and be brokenוְנִשְׁבָּ֔רוּve.nish.Ba.ruH7665,and be snaredוְנוֹקְשׁ֖וּve.nok.ShuH3369,and be takenוְנִלְכָּֽדוּ׃ סve.nil.Ka.duH3920.

16Bind upצ֖וֹרTzorH6887the testimonyתְּעוּדָ֑הte.'u.DahH8584,sealחֲת֥וֹםcha.TomH2856the lawתּוֹרָ֖הto.RahH8451among my disciplesבְּלִמֻּדָֽי׃be.li.mu.DaiH3928.

17And I will waitוְחִכִּ֙יתִי֙ve.chi.Ki.tiH2442upon Yhwhלַיהוָ֔הla.Yah.wehH3068,that hidethהַמַּסְתִּ֥ירha.mas.TirH5641his faceפָּנָ֖יוpa.NavH6440from the houseמִבֵּ֣יתmi.BeitH1004of Jacobיַעֲקֹ֑בya.'a.KoH3290,and I will lookוְקִוֵּ֖יתִֽי־ve.ki.Vei.ti-H6960for him.

18Behold, I and the childrenוְהַיְלָדִים֙ve.hay.la.DimH3206whom Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068hath givenנָֽתַן־na.tan-H5414me arefor signsלְאֹת֥וֹתle.'o.TotH226and for wondersוּלְמוֹפְתִ֖יםu.le.mof.TimH4159in Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לbe.Yis.ra.'ElH3478from Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otH6635,which dwellethהַשֹּׁכֵ֖ןha.sho.KhenH7931in mountבְּהַ֥רbe.HarH2022Zionצִיּֽוֹן׃ סtzi.YonH6726.

19And when they shall sayיֹאמְר֣וּyo.me.RuH559unto you, Seekדִּרְשׁ֤וּdir.ShuH1875unto them that have familiar spiritsהָאֹבוֹת֙ha.'OtH178,and unto wizardsהַיִּדְּעֹנִ֔יםhai.yi.de.'o.NimH3049that peepהַֽמְצַפְצְפִ֖יםham.tzaf.tze.FimH6850,and that mutterוְהַמַּהְגִּ֑יםve.ha.mah.GimH1897:should not a peopleעַם֙'amH5971seekיִדְרֹ֔שׁyid.RoshH1875unto their Godאֱלֹהָ֣יו'e.lo.HavH430?for the livingהַחַיִּ֖יםha.chai.YimH2416to the deadהַמֵּתִֽים׃ha.me.TimH4191?

20To the lawלְתוֹרָ֖הle.to.RahH8451and to the testimonyוְלִתְעוּדָ֑הve.lit.'u.DahH8584:if they speakיֹֽאמְרוּ֙yo.me.RuH559not according to this wordכַּדָּבָ֣רka.da.VarH1697, it is because there isno lightשָֽׁחַר׃Sha.charH7837in them.

21And they shall passוְעָ֥בַרve.'A.varH5674through it, hardly besteadנִקְשֶׁ֣הnik.ShehH7185and hungryוְרָעֵ֑בve.ra.'EvH7457:and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungryיִרְעַ֜בyir.'AvH7456,they shall fretוְהִתְקַצַּ֗ףve.hit.ka.TzafH7107themselves, and curseוְקִלֵּ֧לve.ki.LelH7043their kingבְּמַלְכּ֛וֹbe.mal.KoH4428and their Godוּבֵאלֹהָ֖יוu.ve.lo.HavH430,and lookוּפָנָ֥הu.fa.NahH6437upwardלְמָֽעְלָה׃le.Ma.'e.lahH4605.

22And they shall lookיַבִּ֑יטya.BitH5027unto the earthאֶ֖רֶץ'E.retzH776;and behold troubleצָרָ֤הtza.RahH6869and darknessוַחֲשֵׁכָה֙va.cha.she.KhahH2825,dimnessמְע֣וּףme.'UfH4588of anguishצוּקָ֔הtzu.KahH6695; and they shall bedrivenמְנֻדָּֽח׃me.nu.DachH5080to darknessוַאֲפֵלָ֖הva.'a.fe.LahH653.

Commentaries on Isaiah 8